To the Editor,
Last week I opened up Thursday’s edition of The Post and found myself surprised to see that other senate members have been organizing a petition to try and push for an amendment that would allow for an election recall. Although under the guise of democracy, I found myself angry more than anything else.
Why were my fellow students working against our goals? Didn’t they believe in working radically and trying to push forward for student empowerment? How was having students sign a petition for an election recall helping us move forward?
And although similar questions can be asked of every Student Senate member, I feel that these questions allude to a great divide in senate — those who align with the One ticket and those who align with Restart. Yes, I know, there has been talk about “all working together as one senate” and “not for our tickets,” but I find that I have to look at the reality. The reality is that there are certain people in senate that have always had this platform for political power and will do anything to keep it that way.
My first two and half years at Ohio University helped me experience many things, but none of these things were knowing or even caring about Student Senate because, simply, this body in the past has simply been irrelevant — filled with members that never cared to put their own selves on the line in order to make progressive things happen at the university. Stay quiet. Don’t make people angry. Don’t offend. Be professional.
But I must ask: where has being professional and afraid to offend ever gotten students in terms of social change? Where has it gotten us in a world that is constantly telling us what to do, think and say?
If I were afraid to offend those around me in hopes of simply keeping the peace, I would still be religious. I would still be hiding my sexuality. I would have never gone on to college. I would have never questioned my professors or the roles of women in this society. I would continue to fork over my tuition dollars and not think critically about how that money is spent. And I would be afraid to admit that this media storm around Student Senate, Megan Marzec’s lack of representation of all students and the “Blood Bucket” challenge shows me how little the student body delves into serious issues on a deeper level and how they love to distract themselves. What truly matters is reaching out to one another on a human level, making our voices heard and doing so until our demands and activism lead to a more democratic OU with students that don’t just share links on Facebook, but students who aren’t afraid to radicalize irrelevant political structures like Student Senate. Students who aren’t afraid to block buses, make the Board of Trustees nervous, or take a strong stance in the face of world that tries to beat the fearless leaders of today down.
I hope that I can be as brave as the fearless counterparts around me, and I hope that you have the bravery to do so as well.
Ryant Taylor is a senior studying creative writing.
